


Collapse

by orphan_account



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Bottom Rick, Exhausted Rick, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Negan Being Negan, Top Negan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-24
Updated: 2017-10-07
Packaged: 2019-01-04 08:50:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12165567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Rick is struggling to make ends meet, he's been running on fumes. He nearly misses the Saviour's weekly pick-up.It's still early days.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, I have been gone a really long time. Sorry about that guys! I know I have so many other stories to finish up - I just wanted to do a short little one shot to get me back in the writing mood. Thanks for reading and any comments will be much loved.

 

 

It isn't like Negan wants to fuck up Alexandria. It's a nice place - a sweet little slice of heaven. Only it's filled with dumb ass Alexandrians who do little to deserve it.

"Get Rick the fuck out here now."

Negan thinks it really speaks to his anger that he doesn't add a little moniker like 'my boy Rick' in there. The man's blood drains from his face and Negan's satisfied the message came through loud and clear. He straight up runs.

"He only just got in." The Latino woman - Rosita, her name is Rosita - spits tightly at him.

"You'll wanna keep your mouth fucking shut," Negan barks at her and the man beside her flinches back. "Next one to speak, well fuck - maybe they fucking die."

Negan's men shift restlessly, unsure if there's about to be a confrontation.

Negan is beyond angry, every time he feels like he's getting somewhere with Alexandria he finds himself right back at square one. He briefly lets unbridled apprehension flit across his mind as he doubts the wisdom of keeping Rick in charge. It'd simply been the easiest, most solid option. Break the leader and make use of the infrastructure of order already in place. 

Only when he'd called Rick a bitch - and wasn't he? Hadn't he cowered like a puppy in front of the so-called Alpha male that Negan very much was? - Negan hadn't realized Rick's own people perceived their leader the same way. Negan feels his chest tighten once again in repressed, unexpressed anger at the thought. Rick can't even keep his own people in line. 

_Fucking useless._

Negan's got a man down on the ground, doesn't even know the poor fuck's name. 

He only knows a random check - after the abysmally small weekly offering - exposed a hoarder of foods, alcohol and medicines.

A hell of a lot of it.

More than could unknowingly go missing. Enough, in fact, to have supplied both the Sanctuary and Alexandria with enough antibiotics to medicate the sick at least three times over.

He sees Rick a long time coming. He's walking fast, unsteadily, down the street towards the commotion. He stumbles once, goes down, presses his palms against the pavement and pushes himself back up.

One look at his face tells Negan it's nothing serious, only exhaustion. He seems pale and almost gaunt, face tired. He's disoriented and unsteady. The thought rings through Negan's head that Rick's only just got in. He was out there like this.

"You wanted to see me." Rick slurs minutely, voice hoarse, "I brought you...things when I came in."

The way he says _things_ makes Negan think he's too tired to even remember what he brought. Rick's breathing is a little heavier than usual and he blinks his eyes as if trying to clear a haze. 

"They said you needed me. Why..." Rick trails off and it's only then that he notices the man on the ground.

It seems to stop him up short and Negan waits in a mean breathless anticipation for Rick's reaction.

"W-what's going on here?" Rick demands, voice slurring and cutting out half way through. He straight out sways on his feet. "You took - why did you take Harold?"

Negan steps closer and reaches a hand out. Rick's stunted reaction is much too delayed to prevent Negan from curling a hand behind his neck. He drags Rick over to the confiscated materials. Feels a little bad when Rick stumbles and face plants, skin scraped raw on the side of his face.

Until he remembers this is all Rick's fault and then he freely runs a thumb across Rick's sore cheek. Rick gasps and jerks his head away. It's obvious he's too tired to be anything less than emotionally raw. 

It's somewhat reminiscent of the first night they met. Rick must feel it too because when Negan straightens up to tower over him he shivers. He turns to look at the contraband uncomprehendingly.

Rick's obvious confusion incites Negan. 

"Damn Rick. You are fucking _slow_."

It takes another minute after that for Rick to get the entire picture. When he does, he brings himself shakily to his feet. 

"Don't kill him." Rick says without preamble, extreme worry like Negan has never seen on his face. It takes Negan a second to realize the expression is only so severe because Rick is too tired to hold back.

" _Rick_." Negan says lowly. Rick shivers and then unthinkingly reaches out to grasp at Negan's sleeve with a pathetically soft grip.

Rick's hand unfurls and smooths down Negan's forearm as it falls limply to Rick's side. Negan will deny it has any effect.

"I-I can..." Rick starts, pauses when he's stumped and his face twists in desperation, "I don't know what I could offer that..."

The last part is under his breath and he doesn't seem to have realized he's said it.

"Kill _him_ Rick?" Negan snarls. "Did you know about this?"

Rick's eyes seem to fall to the pile of antibiotics then and widen in betrayal. 

"No." He chokes out, throat closing on what sounds like tears to Negan.

"I see. So your only crime was being so fucking neglectful that this yoohoo here managed to stock himself with at least two offerings worth of supplies."

Negan smiles and it isn't nice.

"W-wait." Rick intones tired and distressed, rubs roughly at his eyes. "We can figure this out, just - "

 "You saying this shit here doesn't deserve to die?" Negan spits out. "You've fucking killed people for less, haven't you?"

Negan must shift towards the man a little because Rick brings a hand up and presses it against his left shoulder, as if that's going to stop him if he really meant to do anything. Negan does mean to do something, he just doesn't know what. The pressure of Rick's hand alternates between soft and firm, and it occurs to Negan he's trying to keep his balance. 

"I-I have." Rick admits, stricken with it. The admission seems to sober him up a little, makes him look sicker. "But that's not the way we do things anymore."

"No?" Negan chuckles deeply. It's then that Rick's hand falls away, as if he only realized where it was after Negan's rumbling laughter vibrated through his chest.

"Can we talk?" Rick asks, voice steely and earnest.

"Sure Rick, fucking _talk_ then." Negan snarks. When Rick's expression sours briefly and he remains silent Negan concedes. He motions for Rick to lead.

He follows Rick's swaying gait - more so than usual - until they're in a secluded, tree-lined section. It's immediately apparent whatever gumption Rick had pulled forth during their discussion has drained. Rick leans an arm against a tree to keep himself upright.

"Well?" Negan prompts unkindly.

"It was my fault. I-I should have dealt with it. You're right."

"That was a fuckton of antibiotics, I know you saw those." Negan no longer believes that Rick had been party to the hoarding. It's obvious, however he feels about the Sanctuary, that he wouldn't have let Alexandrians die.

Still, it means Rick can't control his own people. Can overlook missing supplies and plotting under his nose. 

"You - are fucking _useless_." Negan snarls again in sudden anger, poking his finger into Rick's chest. He doesn't expect for it to tip Rick over.

Rick falls backwards and smacks his head hard. He doesn't lose consciousness and he isn't bleeding, though the sound of it makes Negan cringe. Rick sits up, dazed, tries to stand and falls back onto the grass. He's too tired to get back up.

Even that irks Negan.

"Why the fuck were you out there like this? What fucking use to me are you?" 

Rick's eyes blaze even as he tips unsurely forward.

"I'm out there for _you_." He doesn't check his tone. It's aggressive and accusatory and suddenly Negan realizes why he wanted to have this conversation in private. In front of his men he would have had to check that tone immediately. As it is he can just chuckle meanly, watch the helpless anger grow in Rick's eyes.

"Oh, don't tell me you can't delegate that shit Rick."

"Everyone is trying their hardest." Rick bites out.

Rick's glare gradually fades, as if it's just too difficult to maintain, and his shoulders slump while his breathing peters out and for a second Negan thinks he's about to faint.

" _Rick_." he growls and crouches down, grabs Rick's shoulder. Rick leans into it.

"I didn't - I was so busy that - " Rick swallows thickly, his voice thin with exhaustion, "I didn't catch it."

When Negan doesn't say anything Rick looks up at him wanly and continues.

" _Please_ no more death."

It's a little much to ask, given the particulars of the crime. Maybe Negan could honor the request, if sick people hadn't died. Saviours and Alexandrians alike. 

Rick wasn't thinking straight. Too tired, probably. If he had been himself he would have realized that this was an infraction that Negan could not let go unpunished. 

"You know, I thought you had what it took to get shit done. Now I'm not so sure."

"Negan-" Rick protests and Negan grabs his chin hard and tilts his face up roughly. The man's so fucking stupid, putting himself out there when he's needed more here in Alexandria. Negan intends to get that across in no uncertain terms.

"My fault for putting a little _bitch_ in charge, should have picked someone else. Hell, even that widow was tougher than you. And your boy Daryl - whew wee!"

"I'm not-" Rick tries to yank his face away, expression startled into something haunted.

Negan immediately lets go and Rick falls back onto his hands. They nearly collapse underneath him. He swallows a few times, tries to hold back wet tears at the corners of his eyes.

"Are you gonna fucking cry?" Negan demands gruffly.

He rocks back on his heels to give Rick a little space. They're passed the place that Negan needs to make Rick break. Now, he needs his leadership and skill set. Making him cry is unnecessary.

Once the first tear runs out of the corner of Rick's eye it's like a dam breaks. Sorry little sobs hiccup from his chest and he tries to sit up again only to fall limply onto his side. Negan watches him cry himself out for a while. He realizes it isn't going to stop.

Even the sobs are tired and pathetic with a dazed quality to them.

"Shouldn't have killed them, should have killed me." Rick whispers thickly, words slurring and faint.

"You killed my men Rick." Negan responds, although he can't deny the way the words freeze him in his tracks.

"You're gonna kill him aren't you?" Rick asks, sobs starting to dissipate.

Negan doesn't respond. Instead he reaches down and maneuvers Rick up. When Negan places Rick's arm around his neck for support he doesn't complain, only leans into him.

"You're a bad man for doing this. For starving us out. For taking - not just from us."

Even though Negan shouldn't care the sentence smarts. If only Rick's head didn't loll so sweetly on his shoulder Negan might be tempted to try and defend himself.

"Fucker." Negan spits without any real heat.

Rick's slack lips brush across his throat when his head bows down in exhaustion. He jerks it back up as if he'd very briefly fallen asleep. When he looks at Negan, cheeks pink, to see if he's noticed Negan meets his gaze.

Negan returns the favour, tilts Rick's neck to the side and licks a stripe up it. A soft moan hitches in Rick's throat and he melts a second before he pushes away firmly. He almost falls without Negan's support.

"I'm not a bitch." he slurs sleepily, humiliation and shame staining his face. He's self-conscious Negan realizes. 

It's then that the puzzle pieces fall together. That night and all the times afterward Negan had been aiming to emasculate him, dominate him. He hadn't been meaning to sexually degrade him, to imply the submissive lean of his sexuality was something disgraceful.

"Rick-" Negan tries, and he's surprised when Rick leans back towards him.

He really does look like he's going to faint then. He accepts Rick back into the circle of his arms.

He's still thinking about Rick's accusations when he hands the man off to a third party. Rick's hardly conscious at that point. He kills Harold - can't spare him - but he's glad Rick isn't there for it.

Negan maybe acknowledges a fact he hadn't dared hope for - that something does have to change.

He has a feeling Rick will help him.

With that philosophical hurdle covered Negan's thoughts are free to roam to more pleasant things - like Rick's adorable stutter, softly flushed face and pliant sleepiness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

The next time Negan sees Rick he's still got that enervated and out of gas feel about him. He's not stumbling around all pretty like a colt anymore but his steps are still heavier, slower. Not so alert.

He's yet got that little scuff up the side of his face and Negan feels a little bad about it, knows he must still have an egg under his hair somewhere from the thump to the noggin.

" _Rick_." Negan greets, teeth and tongue and lips, and dark like a predator. 

Rick startles a little at it, wary and frightened. He avoids Negan's gaze and clears his throat.

"T-the tribute's this way." Rick's voice is firm, not slurred and sleepy so Negan is satisfied.

"My men will deal with that. I want to talk to _you_." 

"I-okay." Rick starts and stops apprehensively, looks at him through narrowed eyes with a touch of suspicion.

"Don't worry Rick, you'll _like_ it." Negan purrs. 

That only makes Rick looks visibly worried though and Negan has to choke back a laugh.

 

 

Negan and Rick go through three empty houses before they find the one Negan wants to keep. It's unfortunate that it's not right beside Rick's but Negan figures it will do.

"Oh fuck, Rick - look at this," Negan curls his arm around Rick and pulls him forward - just to be an annoyance, to survey the room "imagine the fucking things I could do - fresh coat of paint, pool table, ping-pong, air hockey."

There's a lot of space.

It's going to be Negan's War Room. 

Negan let's his friendly hand wander down then and smack Rick on the bottom. Because he can, and he's being obnoxious, but very soon he thinks he won't be able to but soon after that he thinks he will.

Rick just tiredly shifts against him, and a second later clears his throat in alarm. It's sweet and Negan has to reign back the urge to do it again.

"Go sit at that there table Rick."

Negan knows Michonne and Rick haven't been together since after their little failed attack. He also knows Rick is 1000% not going to accept him at this juncture. 

Rick, for his part, looks anxious. He's a little pale faced when he sits and sweat beads at his forehead. He's afraid and Negan doesn't like that at all. And maybe he would have liked it a week ago but since that flip has switched Negan has been almost single minded. Rick can take damage, Negan knows he can, but he finds suddenly there's nothing he wants less.

He approaches slowly, Rick doesn't stop him when he reaches out and thumbs at the scrape on his face. There's a little something like humiliation there, and Rick's eyebrows pinch.

"You're not gonna cry again are you?" Negan asks, and he's being sincere but Rick doesn't take it that way.

He jerks his face out of Negan's palm and his face turns startlingly red.

"No." He spits in defensive denial.

Then he just looks abashed, waits nervously for Negan to respond.

"What Rick, I can't touch?" Negan asks breezily.

He doesn't expect Rick to come back with a fucking wallop.

"I don't like when you grab my face." Rick says, voice a little rough like the words are hard to get out, hard to admit.

It should be obvious. Negan had dug his fingers into that pretty face and relished Rick's little choked, shocky noise as he tried to pull back. He'd made Rick repeat after him, had completely owned the man, had completely broken him down and demoralized him.

Negan had forgotten and he withdraws at that. Decides he's done teasing and tormenting Rick even if it might be some of the last times he can. He clears his throat and yeah, he feels bad.

"I have eight communities under me. Five large ones, three smaller." 

Rick's silent at that, stunned. Negan gives him a minute.

"That's a lot." Rick swallows. His eyes shift down like he knows Negan is going to make a crack that they never had a chance, but Negan doesn't.

"I am not running a protection racquet. I am very legitimately providing security in exchange for goods and services."

Rick glares but he doesn't speak.

"Well Rick, give me your honest opinion." Negan goads, finally takes a seat next to Rick - the corner of the table between them - from where he'd been looming.

Rick answers, trepidation in his voice.

"You do a very good job." He says stonily.

"Fuck-" Negan says, because that's all he's gonna get from Rick if this keeps up. "I know I scared you silly - "

Rick bristles at that.

"-but I am going to let you in on something." Negan continues. "This is my War Room. Within these walls you can consider yourself a fucking General. Whatever happens in here, whatever you think or say, you won't be punished. I promise, fucking scout's honour."

"I hate you." Slips out of Rick's mouth, testing and defiant.

 Negan groans throatily at that, sticks his tongue between his teeth. 

" _fuck_ , Rick, keep going." He says low and sultry. 

Rick predictably flushes, his face going angry, and Negan thinks it's cute.

"Come on Rick, I really want to know how I can improve my _service_."

"Y-you can stop licking people at pick ups for one!" Rick sputters.

"Been thinking about that have you?" Negan asks, and Negan knows what they're supposed to be talking about and it's not this. "Whatever happens here..."

Negan shouldn't, he really shouldn't.

"You know..." He continues, "I've been thinking about that little kiss you pressed to the side of my throat, all sweet like. You, leaning against me like I was the only thing holding you up. Your sweet little stumbles -"

"I'm not a bitch." Rick bites out, standing up abruptly, and a little pain comes through in his voice.

Negan stands too, closes in on Rick until they're bare centimeters apart.

"No, you're not." Negan breathes, "What you are is a sweet fucking little morsel, a good boy Rick, a very good boy. And a good man."

They lock eyes and Rick can see he's serious. Rick's gaze softens at that, like he can't help it, and then he freezes - _scared_.

"Let me lick you." Negan continues, and his lips are so close. "Let me slide my tongue up you again."

Rick makes a small noise in his throat and seems to sway forward.

And Negan only has the barest hint of tongue against him before Rick wrenches back.

"If you were legitimately offering security you wouldn't take people's guns away, you'd broker deals, you'd be out scouting for herds, you'd clear roads for travel and trade." Rick's out of breath by the end of the sentence.

Negan's a little put out but he hides it well. Slaps his knee.

" _That_ is what I am fucking talking about Rick." Negan takes his seat again, gestures for Rick to do the same, "Okay, next. Points system Rick, what's better than that?"

There's still a lively flush on his face and Negan wants to watch it but he doesn't, turns away so Rick can feel a little more comfortable.

"Points are alright." Rick says.

"Not everyone is happy." Negan explains, "meds and shit especially."

"Well - there's a base adjustment, right? To account for special needs like that?" Rick asks, concerned.

"No. There isn't enough for everyone to begin with." Negan does look at Rick then, wants to see how he would tackle the problem.

Rick swallows. Unpopular opinion then. Or just unpopular with Negan.

"What would you do Rick?" Negan prompts.

"I would pull a vote, ask for sacrifices, increase runs. Ration, that sort of thing."

"A vote, huh? sacrifice? That ever work?" He's honestly curious.

"I've seen it work before." Rick nods, looks earnestly like he's trying to convince Negan.

"Okay then." Negan pulls a wad of paper from his inside pocket. "Citizens. Community planning. Basic Information. It stays here, once we secure this baby, and you can work at it any time you like. Find ways to improve."

Rick looks unsure, timid. 

"What, Rick?" Negan asks.

"It's just - that's a lot of information."

Information that could hurt Negan.

"I know."

They lock eyes over the paper, Negan brushes his fingers against Rick's.

"Can I kiss you?" Negan asks, on the off chance.

"No." Rick sputters out, wrenches his hand away.

"Can't blame a guy for trying." Negan says, even though the circumstances being what they are - yes, Rick can blame him for trying.

"You'd cheat on your wives?!" Rick whispers heatedly. 

"Is that the problem?" Negan asks.

"That's not the only problem." Rick cracks angrily.

Negan takes it how he wants to take it.

"Alright. Well, come next week I won't have any wives. Doesn't really fit with the whole democratic and fair schtick anyway, having a rung of aristocracy. Week after that, you just let me know what the next problem is okay?"

Rick looks downright dumbfound, he swallows. His brow sets and he opens his mouth.

Negan leans forward to shush him with a finger. Once he's sure Rick won't speak he gets up and gathers himself.

"One week at a time Rick." 

He's pleased with himself, can't help it, and he feels good. Everything isn't his anymore, he'll have to share what he so grudgingly won in the past, what he's hoarded and controlled, but he finds it doesn't matter. 

"Alexandria and yourself, of course, will be compensated for your time spent here Rick. I won't crowd you, I'll let you work, come back to check up on things every week."

Rick's answer delights him. It's a little begrudging.

"Well...if this is going to work, I think...I think you'll have to come back more than just once a week."

Negan smiles at him, and Rick answers with a faintly cautious smile of his own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
